Base-ball-game apparatus.



E. 0. s. PARKER. BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 9,1908.

Patented Max". 16, 1909.

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THE nanms PETERS co., WASHINGTON, c, c

E. G. S. PARKER.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION rum) OUT. 9, 1510s.

9 1 5, 1 O8 v Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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11.0. s. PARKER.

BASE BALL GAME APPARATUS. APPLIOATION FILED b0'1.9,1908. 91 Patented Mar. 16, 1909.

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IIIIIIIIIITIITIIII q/vvtw ea a M g EDWARD O. S. PARKER, OF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

BASE-BALL-GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 16, 1909.

Application filed October 9, 1908. Serial No. 456,996.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD O. S. PARKER. of the United States Navy, a citizen of the United States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Base-Ball-Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The invention is an apparatus wherein the game of base-ball may be imitated.

A continuously inclined diamond-shaped runway is traversed from base to base in the usual order, by successive balls representing the players. The construction is such that the chance. entry of a ball into one of a group of receptacles, located at the lower end of each member of the runway, determines whether the player is out, holds his base, or continues his run; and also such that the ball representing the player holding a base, and so retained in one of said receptacles, is released therefrom automatically by the next following ball, thus simulating the vacating of a base by one player upon the beginning of a run to that base by the next following player.

The invention consists in the combinations more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a side elevation of my game apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the ball receiving box at the home base. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the construction at the home base. Fig. 5 is a erspective view of the construction at the rst, second and third bases; Fig. 6 shows in perspective the construction of the ball receiving box of the home base, shown in plan in Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a erspective view of a portion of one of the t1 ting troughs with its supporting bar and pivot.

Similar numbers and letters of reference indicate like parts.

Following the nomenclature of the actual game, the position of the pitchers box is at A, the home base at B, first base at 0, second base at D and third base at E. Said bases are at the angles of an inclined diamondshaped runway, which is traversed by a ball or marble F which descends the incline by gravity and represents a player running from base to base.

1 is a supporting cross bar having at its middle portion a step 2, which receives the lower extremity of a leg 3 (dotted lines) upon which leg rests the upper end of an inclined trough or runway 4. This runway, which is diagonally disposed in the diamond at the angles of which the bases are located, as shown in Fig. 1, inclines downwardly from the pitchers box A to home base B. At the place of the pitcher is a block having a passage 5 into which the ball representing the player is dropped, and from which it passes directly upon the diagonal runway 4, down which it rolls. At the closed lower end of runway 4 are two longitudinal partitions dividing the end portion of said runway into three compartments 6, 7, 8. The purpose of compartments 7 and 8 which simply receive and retain the ball, should it enter them, will be explained farther on. Below the artitioned end of diagonal runway 4 is a b ock 9 in which is a passage 10, opening into the bottom of compartment 6 and from the side of said block. Below the block 9 is a bar 11 which is inclined downwardly to first base C. The end of bar 11, the block 9 and the partitioned end of runway 4, are all supported by a leg 12. Upon the bar 11 is a trough 13, having at the middle points of its side walls pins 14, Fig. 7, which are received in notched lugs 19, secured on the sides of bar 11. 011 these pins 14, the trough 13 is free to tilt: so that if the ball F representing the player should enter compartment 6, traverse passage 10 and so run upon the trough 13, the weight of the ball will first cause the trough to tilt in one direction, and then as the ball runs past the fulcrum point at the pins 14, in the other direction. The trough 13 and its support thus form one member of the diamondshaped runway.

It will be seen from Fig. 5, that the end portion of the bar 11, which extends beyond the extremity of trough 13 at first base C, is constructed in the following manner. Between a side wall 15 and a partition 16, there is a passage 17 which leads into a compartment 18, formed by the side walls and partition 20. On the other side of partition 20 and of partition 16, is a recess 21 having an inclined bottom 22, and aside opening. Over this recess extends an arm 23 which projects from the end of trough 13. It will be obvious that a ball reaching the end of trough 13 may pass either into the compartment 18, where it will be retained, or into the space between the partition 16 and the arm 23, where it will run down the inclined bottom until it meets the arm 23 (see dotted lines Fig. 5), or into the recess on the other side of arm 23, from which it may escape at the side opening. The end of bar 11, at first base C, rests upon the end of an inclined bar 24 which extends from first base C to second base D, and both of said ends are supported upon a leg 25 which rests upon the cross bar 1. The other end of bar 24 rests upon the end of an inclined bar 26, and these ends are supported upon a leg 27. Bar 26 is inclined downwardly from second base D, to third base E and its end rests upon the end of trough 28. The ends of bar ,26 and 28 are supported on a leg 29. Trough 28 inclines downwardly to home base where it terminates in a box 30 supported on a block 31. In said block is stepped the lower end of leg 12. Upon the bars 24 and 26 are pivoted tilting troughs, 13 and 13 similar to trough 13, and also forming members of the diamond-shaped runway, and the end of each of said bars respectively at second base D and third base E, is divided into compartments and recesses exactly similar in construction and arrangement to those at the end of bar 11. The box 30, at home base, is divided into two compartments by a longitudinal partition 32, into either of which the ball descending inclined trough 28 may enter. On one side of partition .32 is an angular guard 33 which prevents the marble lodging against the leg 12.

The game is played by means of the foregoing a paratus in the following manner. The bal being inserted in the passage 5, rolls down the inclined diagonal runway 4, and enters one of the three compartments '6, 7, 8. If four balls successively accumulate incompartment 8, the player is entitled to proceed at once to first base, and a ball representing that player is thereupon dropped at once into the space between partition 20 and arm 23, where, as already described, it is retained by said arm. If three balls successively accumulate in compartment 7, the player is assumed to have made three strikes and is out. If the ball enters coinpartment 6, it runs through passage 10 to tilting trough 13, and by its weight tilts that trough, so raising the arm 23 at the other end. If there is already a ball in the recess 21 held there by arm 23, the conditions are l simulated of a layer running from home to first base, whi e there is already a player on first base. The player (ball retained by arm 23) on first base starts from first to second base at the time when the player on home (ball tilting trough 13) begins his run to first base. Now, consider the ball which has just started from passage 10. As soon as it passes the pivot joint of trough 13, it will tilt that trough so as to bring the arm 23 again into downward position. Then, on reaching first base on the end of trough 13, it will do one of the three things already notedthat is to say, (1) it will pass from trough 13 into compartment 18 and there stay, which represents the condition where the actual player becomes put out on first base, (2) or it will drop into the space behind arm 23, and so be retained by said arm, which represents the condition where the player gains the base and holds it, or (3) it will drop into the recess 21 on the other side of arm 23 and then run immediately to the next trough 13, and so proceed to second base D, which represents the condition where the player, after reaching first base, runs immediately on to second base. If the ball succeeds in getting to third base and runs thence down trough 28, to home, on reaching the latter position, it will go either to one or the other compartment of box 30. If it goes into one compartment, it represents the condition of a player put out on the home base. If it goes into the other compartment, the run is complete and is scored. It will be seen, therefore, that at the outset, the player represented by the ball may be put out on three strikes, or given his base on four balls, or permitted to go on to first base.

That at the first, second and third bases, he may be put out at either, ma T hold his base at either, or may continue his run fromeither in accordance with the chance disposition of the ball. In the last named case, the ball may proceed over all the members of the diamond-shaped runway in succession, thus making a home run. That at the home base he may either score the run or be put out. And finally, by reason of the tilting troughs, a ball held at any base may be automatically released by the next following ball, thus imitating a player vacating a base for the player next following. Nine balls on each side will be used to correspond to the actual number of players in competing teams, and in other particulars, wherever applicable, the ordinary rules of the game of base-ball will be followed.

I claim:

1. In a base-ball game apparatus, a plurality of members forming a continuously inclined diamond-shaped runway, and at the lower end of each member thereof, a group of receptacles each open to the chance entry of a descending ball.

2. In a base-ball game apparatus, a plurality of members forming a continuously in clined diamond-shaped runway, and at the lower end of each member thereof, a group of receptacles,'one of said receptacles forming a pocket for retaining said ball, and another receptacle having an opening for permitting said ball to pass to the succeeding member.

3. In a base-ball game apparatus, a plurality of members forming a continuously inclined diamond-shaped runway, .an inclined rimway diagonally disposed in said diamondshaped runway with its lower end communicating with the highest point thereof, a group of receptacles at the lower end of each memgroup of receptacles at the lower end of said diagonal runway: each of said receptacles being open to the chance entry of a descending ball.

4. In a base-ball game apparatus, a plurality of members forming a continuously inj of receptacles at the lower end of each member of said diamond-shaped runway, and a group of receptacles at the lower end of said diagonal runway: one of said receptacles of each group forming a pocket for retaining said ball, and another receptacle having an opening for permitting said ball to pass to the succeeding member.

5. In a base-ball game apparatus, an inclined supporting bar, a tilting trough pivoted thereon, a receptacle atthe end of said bar constructed to receive a ball descending said trough, and a device attached to the trough for retaining said ball in said receptacle: the said parts being constructed and arranged so that on the tilting of said trough in one direction, said device shall be set to retain said ball, and on the tilting of said trough in the opposite direction, said device shall be moved to release said ball.

6. In abase-ball game apparatus, an inclined supporting bar, a tilting trough pivoted thereon, a receptacle at the end of said bar constructed to receive a ball descending said trough, and an arm on the end of said trough extending transversely across said receptacle: the said parts being constructed and arranged so that on the tilting of the trough inone direction, said arm shall be set to retain said ball in said receptacle, and on the tilting of the trough in the opposite direction, said arm shall be moved to release said ball.

7. In a base-ball game apparatus, an inclined runway and, at the lower end thereof, (1) a receptacle for pocketing a descending ball, (2) a receptacle for said ball, and means for releasing said ball from said receptacle, (3) a receptacle having an opening permitting the immediate escape of the ball therefrom: each of said receptacles being open to the chance entry of said ball.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD O. S. PARKER. 

